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Amalgamato'r. ,INO. 227,718. Patented May 18,1880.

WITNESSES:

".PEYERS. EHOTO-LITHOGRAPIIER, WASHINGT N C '2 Sheets-Sheet 2. 1 & R. E;BALL.

Amalgamator.

I Pate nted May 18, 1880..

VENTOR WITNESSES.-

A TTOkNfi NZFETERS. PNdWLITHDGRAPHE-R, WASHINGTONv D. O,

UNITED STATES PATENT A OFFICE.

CHARLES E. BALL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND 1t. EDWARD BALL, OFJAMAICA, NEW YORK.

AM-ALGAMATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 227,718, dated 'May 18,1880.

Application filed February 5, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES E. BALL, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, and R. E. BALL, of Jamaica,

5 in the county of Queens and State of NewYork,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators and wedo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a vertical 1 longitudinal section,and Fig. 3 a sectional view of cylinder.

Our invention has relation to vacuum-amalgamators, and has for itsobject to provide means whereby the transit of the gangue through thesuspended quicksilver may be retarded, so as to increase the period oftime during which amalgamation transpires.

Our improvements consist,principally, in the provision of anamalgamating-chamber com- 2 5 posed of a tube or cylinder capable ofbeing revolved on its longitudinal axis, and provided with deflectors orsinkers so constructed and arranged as to cause the gangue in its travelthrough the mercury to be frequently o submerged.

Our improvements further consist in the combination, with such inclinedrotary cylinder, of a feeding-tank, which receives the mercury andgangue, and an ejector or suction 5 device for lifting the mercury outof said tank into said cylinder and causing'the gangue to pass throughthe same.

Our invention further consists in certain details of construction andcombination, herein- 0 after set forth, having reference, principally,to the combination, with a single feeding-tank and two or moreamalgamatin g chambers, of one ejector, as hereinafter specified.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A 5 indicates a tank orreceptacle, of any convenient construction, adapted to hold mercury.

B is one of a number of inclined cylinders, whose lower end rests insaid tank A slightly above its bottom, being chamfered at b, as shown.Said cylinder is formed in two sections, B B the former being stationaryand fixed to the bottom a, while the latter is journaled instuffing-boxes or bearings (l 0, so as to be capableof rotation on itslongitudinal axis.

D is a pulley on the upper diminished end or tubular journal, I), of thecylinder B to receive a belt for causing the rotation of said cylinder.E E are radial blades extending lengthwise of the cylinder B, and F Fare conoidal deflectors fixed at intervals in the cylinder, the blades Ebeing cutaway, as shown, for their reception.

G is a water-pipe entcringthrough the bottom a of tank A, and proceedingthence upwardly through the middle of the cylinder, a space being leftbetween its periphery and the inner edges of blades E, and said pipeterminating within said cylinder near its upper end.

H represents another cylinder like the cylinder B and its appurtenancesin all respects and there may be as many more of these cylinders andtheir parts as convenience of operation, economy, or necessity mayrequire. 7 5

I is a pipe communicating, by means of T- couplings t i, with thetubular journals 1) b of the amalgamating-cylinders; and K is asteamejector or suction appliance for creating exhaust in said pipe andin the amalgamating- 8o chambers.

The operation is as follows: Sufficient mercury is, in the first place,supplied to the tank A, so that when lifted by suction or exhaust itwill nearly fill the cylinders, or up, or about up, to the levelindicated by the line as w. The ejector is now started, lifting themercury into the cylinders and holding it suspended there,

a thin sheet of the Inetal,however, remaining spread upon the bottom ofthe tank. The gangue, in the form preferably of pulp-or slime, is nowfed to the tank A, and rises, by reason of its inferior gravity and theaction of the ejector, through the mercury suspended in the amalgamatingcylinders. Were the 5 latter stationary and unprovided with means ofproducing submergence, the gangue would immediately seek the surface ofthe mercury and float thereon in contact with the upper sides of thecylinders until it emerged there- 10o from. To avoid this is the objectof making the cylinders rotary and providing them with the blades anddeflectors already described. The rotation of the cylinders has theeflect of submergin g the gangue, which is pushed down into the mercurybefore the blades E E, and, rising in advance of said blades, passesthrough the conoidal deflectors F from one compartment to another of theamalgamating-chamher until it emerges above the level of the mercur Thegangue is thus frequently sul merged in the mercury in its ascent, andis compelled to follow a tortuous track, the retardation having theeffect of prolonging the period of amalgamation, and thereby morethoroughly extracting the metalsin the gangue than would be possible ifthe passage of the gangue were direct and unimpeded. The waste whichrises above the mercury is diluted by water issuing from the pipes G,and the liquid mass is thence drawn by the action of the ejector throughthe pipe I and discharged.

It is obvious that under some circumstances the deflectors and sinkersmay be dispensed with, and the tubes or cylinders allowed to remainstationary but inclined, and advantageous results be obtained. Thusmercury can be raised practically by suction, exhaust, or vacuum buttwenty-six inches in a vertical straight tube. Now, if ore pass directlyup through n'iercury so suspended in such tube it will of course travelthrough but twenty-six inches of mercury, and this it will do veryquickly, allowing but short distance and time for amalgamation but ifsaid tube be inclined so as to give a rise of, say, but one inch to thefoot, the body of mercury will be twenty-six feet long, or practically,as regards the travel of the ore through it, that many feet in height.By means, therefore, of an inclined chamber we increase the distancethrough which the ore will have to pass in mercury, prolong the periodallowed for amalgamation, and hence improve results.

What we claim as our invention is-- 1. In an amalgamating apparatus, aninclined rotary cylinder or tube provided with suitable blades formoving around its longitudinal axis material fed into it, wherebygangue, in its passage through a body of mercury suspended therein, maybe frequently submerged, in combination with an ejector or suctionapparatus, and a reservoir from which the material is drawn, as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. The amalgamating cylinder or tube B, made in two sections, B B theformer being fixed and the latter capable of rotation, and provided withradial blades E and conoidal deflectors F F substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. In combination with a single tank, A, two or moreamalgamating-chambers communicating separately therewith, a pipe, 1,common to both or all of said chambers, and one ejector for producingexhaust in said chambers, substantially as shown and described.

4. An amalgamating-chambcr consisting of an inclined tube, cylinder, orlike vessel, in combination with a suction or exhaust device for holdingmercury in suspension in said vessel, substantially as specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsthis 28th day of January, 1880.

CHAS. E. BALL. R. EDWARD BALL.

Witnesses SAMUEL KILPA'IRICK, J. PERCIVAL MICHELBAOHE.

